Can crusher



Feb. 19, 1963 F. H. BUNKE Erm. 3,077,827

CAN CRUSHER Filed Jan. 9, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3y M M' Fell 19, 1963 F. H. BUNKE ETAL 3,077,827

CAN cRusHER Filed Jan. 9, 1961 Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7a W F7572 /Z Effi Feb. 19, 1963 F, H. BUNKE ETAL CAN CRUSHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 9, 1961 IN V EN TORS Gef/ae #5a/m15- J//N 6,' Ezmafr United States Patent 3,077,827 CAN CRUSHER Frederick H. Bunke, Jackson Center, Ohio and John C. Blakley, R.F.D. 4, Sidney, Ohio Filed Jan. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 81,354 2 Claims. (Cl. 100-215) This invention relates to a can crusher, and has as its primary object the provision of an improved apparatus for crushing cans, bottles, and similar bulky articles for storage before disposal, in order to save space.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a device including a removable hopper from which the cans are fed beneath a reciprocating crusher plate, by means of an endless belt, the crusher plate being inclined and tapering downwardly toward the belt to form a restricted opening through which the crushed cans are passed.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein the cans are substantially completely flattened or crushed, and conveyed from the crusher to a suitable receptacle for storage or other purposes.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangement of parts, and features of construction.

Other objects will in part be obvious, and in part be 4pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds, and shown inthe accompanying drawings wherein there is disclosed the preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of one form of can Crusher embodying elements of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the structure of FIG. l as viewed from the right.

FIG-URE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing a portion of the conveyor belt in plan, and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views yof the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the can Crusher of the instant invention includes a frame generally indicated at 10, which includes a base plate 11 supported by four oppositely disposed legs 12.

Base plate 11 carries a suitable motor y13, which is preferably electric, and which is controlled by an operating handle 14, mounted on a control box 15. Suitable cables extend from the control box 15 to any desired source of power, as shown at A16, and conventional electric circuitry connects the control box 15 with the motor 13. Motor 13 is provided ywit-l1 a drive shaft 17, which extends through a friction clutch 18 to a gear reduction box 19, which is mounted on a pair of transversely extending channel members 20, and secured to an upright 21, which in tum is secured to the underside of an upper transverse frame portion 22. A drive shaft 23 extends transversely from `gear reduction box 19 and is provided with a pulley 24, and a sprocket 25, the purpose of which will be more fully `described hereinafter. It is to be noted that each end of the shaft 23 extends outwardly of the gear reduction box 19, and is provided at each of its ends with a pulley 24 and sprocket 25.

Side plates 30 disposed on opposite sides of the upper portions of legs l12 above the upper frame portion 22 carry at one end a transversely extending axle 31, which carries a pair of sprockets 32 adjacent its opposite ends, over each of which extends a chain 33. The chains 33 extend in endless chain relation about sprockets 34 mounted on opposite ends of a transversely extending axle 35 mounted between projecting side portions 36 of side plates 30. Transversely extending supports 36 extend between the upper and lower flights of the endless chains 33, and provide reinforcement both for the side plates 36 and the remainder of the apparatus.

Means are provided for the adjustment of the axle 35 to tension the chains 33, and take the form of a pair of oppositely disposed slidably mounted brackets 37 in which the ends of axle 35 are journalled. Each bracket 37 is slidable on oppositely `disposed parallel horizontal tracks 38, and each bracket includes a projecting lug 39 having an interior bore in which is rotatably journalled the end of a screw member 40. Each screw member 40 passes through a threaded lug 41 carried by the mounting bracket 42 which carries one end of the tracks 3S. Obviously, rotation of the opposed screws 40 will serve to move the axle 35 forwardly and rearwardly, with the corresponding tensioning of the chain. The interior side of the tracks 38 is positioned adjacent an elongated opening 43 in eachl side plate extension 36 to permit longitudinal movement of axle 35.

The chains 33 are provided at spaced intervals with inwardly projecting pins 45, to which are welded L-shaped angle irons 46. The undersides of angle irons 46 are secured to an endless belt 47 which travels with the chains 33. Cans or the like falling `on the belt, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, will thus be conveyed by the belt 47 and the upright legs of the angle irons 46 interiorly of the crusher, in a horizontal path, or to the right as shown in FIGS. l and 3.

The axle 31 has mounted on the opposite ends thereof pulleys 5d, which are connected by means of endless V- belts 51 to pulleys 24, to be driven by shaft 23, and in turn to drive the sprockets 32'to move the chains 33 and their associated endless belt.

A funnel-shaped hopper V55 is positioned at one end of the apparatus, and has an opening which extends between the uprights 12 and the space between the side plates 30, for conveying cans or bottles Vor other material to be crushed therebetween. A backing plate 56 may be employed to retain additional cans in the hopper 55, and held in position on the rear wall thereof by means of spring lingers or clips 57.

The side plates 30 are roughly triangular in contig-uration, as best shown in FIG. 1, and provided adjacent the opening of the hopper 53 with a pair of oppositely disposed pins 60. Pins 60 have pivotally mounted thereon a pair of oppositely disposed links 61,- which in turn are pivotally connected at their opposite ends to a transverse rod 62, which extends across the top of the triangular side plates 30, it bein-g noted that the hypotenuse or inclined portion of the side plates 30 is located at the top and extends downwardly or convergingly towards the end of the apparatus away from t-he hopper 55. A second pair of pins 63 are positioned on opposite sides of the plates 30, and carry the ends of a second pair of links 64, the opposite ends of which in turn are connected to a transverse rod 65. The pins 6l)v and 63 are substantially equidistantly spaced from the upper edges of plates 30, and consequently are inclined relative to the horizontal frame portion 22, in a direction toward the discharge end of the device.

A pair of spaced parallel crusher shoes 66 which extend longitudinally of the apparatus are connected to the undersides yof rods 62 and 65, and are reciprocated, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter between the full line position indicated in FIG. 3 and the dotted line position. The lower or discharge ends of shoes 66 are tapered as indicated at 67 in FIG. 3 to extend in parallelism to the conveyor belt 47, to provide a discharge opening, through which the crushed cans pass.

Oppositely disposed links 70 are connected at one end to the ends of rod 62, being separated from the links 61 by means of spacers 71. The opposite ends of links 70 are pivotally connected to pins 72 which are eccentrically mounted on oppositely disposed sprockets 73, which in turn are rotatably mounted on stub axles 74 carried by the side plates 30. The sprockets 73 are in turn rotated by chains 75 which are in turn driven by the previously described sprockets 25. The arrangement is thus such that upon energization of the motor 13 cans are fed from the hopper 55 onto the belt 47, and conveyed by the angle irons 46 inwardly `toward the discharge opening of the device. At the same time the combined reciprocating action of the crusher shoes `66 serves further to distort and compress` the cans, until they are ultimately discharged at the end of conveyor belts 47 into a storage receptacle` 76 or the like (see FIG. 1).

The motion imparted to the crusher shoes 66 is thus both oscillatory and reciprocatory, movement in a vertical direction being indicated by the dotted line positions shown in FIG. 3. This motion in combination with the incline of the crusher shoes and the feeding effected by the conveyor belt 47 moves the cans from the hopper 55 through the apparatus progressively effecting their attening and crushing, untilV discharged in substantially crushed condition from the end of the apparatus into the receptacle 76;

Means are provided for stopping the conveyor belt 47 during the crushingaction etected by movable crusher shoes 66 to prevent -breaking of the drive belt 51, and takes the form of a lever 80 pivotally connected to the end of link 64. Lever 80 is in turn connected through an adjusting clamp 81 tov an extension 82, to which is attached one end of a coil spring 83. The other end of spring 83 is` attached to`a lever 84 which is pivotally mounted as at 85 on leg 12. r[he free end of lever 84 carries a tension roller 86 which normally engages belt 51, as best shown in FIG. 3. With the roller in this position, belt 51 is tensioned 'to drive pulley 50 and yhence through sprockets 32 and chains 33, belt 51, When the crusher shoes 66 are moved to crushing position, in the manner previously described, and link 64 moves to the dotted line position of FIG. 3 or the position of FIG. 1, the roller 86 moves to the position shown in FIG. 1, at which time belt 51 slips on the drive pulley 50 and conveyor belt 47 stops. y

From the `foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved can crusher, which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As manyembodiments may be made of this inventive concept, andtasfmany modifications may be -made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A can crusher comprising, in combination, a frame having side and end portions, generally triangular plate members mounted on the side portions of said frame, portions of said plate members projecting from one end of said frame, a horizontally disposed endless conveyor positioned between said triangular plate members and the projecting portions thereof, a hopper positioned adjacent the projecting portions of said triangular plate members and having a dispensing opening in overlying relation to said conveyor, a pair of spaced longitudinally extending crusher shoes mounted between said triangular plate mem-bers above said endless conveyor and inclined towards the same at the end thereof remote from said hopper, spaced first and second transverse rod members secured to said crusher shoes, a first pair of link members, each having one end connected to one end of said first transverse` rod member, each of said link members having its` other end pivotally secured to one of said triangular .plate members, a rotary-sprocket mounted on` each of said triangular plate members, a second pair of link membcrseachof said second pair` of link members having one end pivotally and `eccentricallymounted on one of said sprockets and the other end connected to one end of said-,rst transverse rod member, 4a third pair .of link members, each having one end thereofconnected to one end of'said second transverse rod member and the other end of each of said third pair of link members pivotally connected to one of said triangular plate members, a motor on said frame, a gear reduction box on said frame driven by said motor, said gear reduction box drivingly connected to said sprockets to impart a rotary reciprocatory movement to said pair of crusher shoes, and said gear reduction box further drivingly connected to said'endless conveyor whereby cans carried by said conveyor are adapted to be crushed between the crusher shoes and the conveyor.

2. A can crusher as defined in claim 1 which further includes means operatively connected to one of said third pair of links and to said conveyor drive means to stop said conveyor during the crushing action of said crusher shoes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Nov. 29, 1909 

1. A CAN CRUSHER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME HAVING SIDE AND END PORTIONS, GENERALLY TRIANGULAR PLATE MEMBERS MOUNTED ON THE SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME, PORTIONS OF SAID PLATE MEMBERS PROJECTING FROM ONE END OF SAID FRAME, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED ENDLESS CONVEYOR POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID TRIANGULAR PLATE MEMBERS AND THE PROJECTING PORTIONS THEREOF, A HOPPER POSITIONED ADJACENT THE PROJECTING PORTIONS OF SAID TRIANGULAR PLATE MEMBERS AND HAVING A DISPENSING OPENING IN OVERLYING RELATION TO SAID CONVEYOR, A PAIR OF SPACED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CRUSHER SHOES MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID TRIANGULAR PLATE MEMBERS ABOVE SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR AND INCLINED TOWARDS THE SAME AT THE END THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID HOPPER, SPACED FIRST AND SECOND TRANSVERSE ROD MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID CRUSHER SHOES, A FIRST PAIR OF LINK MEMBERS, EACH HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID FIRST TRANSVERSE ROD MEMBER, EACH OF SAID LINK MEMBERS HAVING ITS OTHER END PIVOTALLY SECURED TO ONE OF SAID TRIANGULAR PLATE MEMBERS, A ROTARY SPROCKET MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID TRIANGULAR PLATE MEMBERS, A SECOND PAIR OF LINK MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF LINK MEMBERS HAVING ONE END PIVOTALLY AND ECCENTRICALLY MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID SPROCKETS AND THE OTHER END CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID FIRST TRANSVERSE ROD MEMBER, A THIRD PAIR OF LINK MEMBERS, EACH HAVING ONE END THEREOF CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID SECOND TRANSVERSE ROD MEMBER AND THE OTHER END OF EACH OF SAID THIRD PAIR OF LINK MEMBERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID TRIANGULAR PLATE MEMBERS, A MOTOR ON SAID FRAME, A GEAR REDUCTION BOX ON SAID FRAME DRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR, SAID GEAR REDUCTION BOX DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID SPROCKETS TO IMPART A ROTARY RECIPROCATORY MOVEMENT TO SAID PAIR OF CRUSHER SHOES, AND SAID GEAR REDUCTION BOX FURTHER DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR WHEREBY CANS CARRIED BY SAID CONVEYOR ARE ADAPTED TO BE CRUSHED BETWEEN THE CRUSHER SHOES AND THE CONVEYOR. 